SPORTSNET ONE OPENS THE INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE WITH CHAMPION CHENNAI VS. KOLKATA THIS FRIDAY

IPL Preview Show airs Thursday, April 7

TORONTO (April 6, 2011) – Rogers Sportsnet ONE opens the Indian Premier League’s 2011 season with the defending champion Chennai Super Kings hosting the Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday, April 8 at 10:30 a.m. (ET)/7:30 a.m. (PT). The match will also be streamed live on sportsnet.ca.

Sportsnet will also present the IPL Preview Show with Nigel Reed and Canadian Cricket team captain Ashish Bagai on Thursday, April 7 at 6 p.m. (ET)/8 p.m. (MT) on the Sportsnet East, Ontario and West channels. The 30-minute preview show, including a primer on all 10 League teams, will also air on Friday, April 8 at 10 a.m. (ET)/7 a.m. (PT) on Sportsnet ONE. As well, Reed will appear on sportsnet.ca with a bi-weekly column on the IPL starting this week, featuring an introduction to cricket 101.

Sportsnet ONE is home to 36 group-stage matches for the 2011 IPL and will include live streaming of these matches on sportsnet.ca. In addition, Rogers Sportsnet will offer another 38 matches on Pay-per-View, including 34 from the group stage, three playoff games and the championship match.

Last season, Chennai captured their first IPL title in club history by thumping the Mumbai Indians in the championship final by 22 runs.

Click on the Sportsnet link below for the full schedule:

http://www.sportsnet.ca/pressroom/ipl_sked.xls

For all the scores, highlights, breaking news and inside stories, tune in to Sportsnet Connected and visit www.sportsnet.ca.

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